Thursday, September 21, 2017

Across the nation and in Louisiana, target shooting is
growing in popularity. According to the National
Shooting Sports Foundation, more than 20 million Americans enjoy target
shooting. And if you think the popularity is limited to older men, you’d miss
the mark. In fact, competitive shooting is one of the fastest growing high
school and community-based sports in the country.

These are all hazards that people face when returning home to a flooded
house or structure. The Louisiana Department of Health advises all residents to
be aware of the dangers flood waters pose and to take all appropriate
precautions.

Friday, August 11, 2017

This
article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of the Voice
of Southwest Louisiana.
OPH’s Dr. Foch was the key contributor. The publication also included a
counterpoint article that suggested vaccines caused autism. This is a myth that
never seems to go away even in the face of numerous studies have found no
evidence to support this belief. This has resulted in a growing number of
parents who are refusing to vaccinate their children. Visit publichealth.org for more information about the myths
that have potential to cast doubt on vaccines as one of the pillars of modern
medicine.

As we gear
up to send our children back to school, one of the items to check off the list is making sure the shot
record is up-to-date. Have you ever
asked yourself, “Should I vaccinate my child?
Will they get sick? Will they
develop autism?” Take a few minutes and
explore these questions with me.

Friday, July 28, 2017

In spite of a continued downward trend in adult rates of
smoking nationwide, the rate in Louisiana remains relatively high. Experts say
this can be attributed to wealthier people kicking the habit while poorer
Americans are still lighting up.

Friday, July 14, 2017

After
experiencing what was for Louisiana a relatively mild spring and early summer,
Louisiana’s hot and humid days returned with a vengeance in July. Daily
temperatures soared into the mid-90s, and combined with high humidity, pushed
the heat index to over 105
degrees just about every day this month.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Board members and staff of
the Louisiana
Emergency Response Network
watched and listened in horror to the breaking news coverage of the recent shooting
rampage that erupted on a community baseball field in Virginia, which
critically injured Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise. The LERN family extends
our best wishes for a full recovery to Congressman Scalise.

This senseless act of
violence serves as the latest reminder that immediate and appropriate medical response
to severe traumatic injury can save lives. No doubt, the medical response to
this “ballpark shooting” incident will be carefully studied and analyzed for
lessons learned – two basic facts of this case are already being cited as
probable lifesavers.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

In the seven years since the Affordable Care Act was passed,
more than 575,000 Louisianans have gained health care coverage. This includes
more than 433,000 newly covered adults who are enrolled in Medicaid in the past
12 months, and another 143,000 plus people who have gained private health
coverage through the ACA exchange, or the Marketplace.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

In Louisiana, as well as in all other states, research has shown that the program known as WIC, shorthand for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, is a funding investment that is cost-effective and improves the health status of infants and children. WIC is a federal program – run by the United States Department of Agriculture – that is administered at the state level by the Office of Public Health in Louisiana.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

In
conjunction with America’s Health Rankings, there is a specific report issued annually
for senior health for each state. America’s Health Rankings Senior Report for
2016 is the most recent report available and it usually parallels health
rankings for Louisiana as a whole, with some exceptions.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

When people
think of severe weather in Louisiana, many immediately picture a menacing
hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico taking aim for our state. It is true that
Louisiana has experienced many tropical depressions, tropical storms, and
hurricanes. However, as many of us have
witnessed recently, Louisiana also experiences catastrophic flooding, severe
thunderstorms and tornadoes, heat waves, and even ice storms.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

In an effort to create a generation of healthier women and children in
Louisiana, our team at the Louisiana Department of Health initiated the
Louisiana Birth Outcomes quality effort in 2010. The team, that included staff
from Medicaid, the Office of Public Health, the Louisiana Perinatal Commission
and other medical experts, began with the goal of eliminating medically
unnecessary or elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks gestation as one of its
major strategies. Specifically, this included cesarean deliveries or inducing labor
through medication.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Career spent helping children and adults get access to health care
services

Author: Jen Steele, Medicaid Director

Ruth Kennedy, a former Medicaid director with the Louisiana Department
of Health, recently retired from our department. Ms. Kennedy is a nationally
recognized expert in helping eligible individuals enroll in Medicaid services.
Her expertise in designing and implementing outreach, enrollment and retention
strategies resulted in Louisiana becoming a national leader in children’s
coverage through the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or LaCHIP.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Colorectal cancer remains a significant problem in
Louisiana. Even though we have a highly
effective screening method (i.e. colonoscopy), only 64.3% of adults over 50
have been screened. The inevitable
result of low screening is a high number of new cases of colorectal cancer (3rd
in the U.S.) and the 4th highest mortality rate among states.

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Pre-Release Medicaid Enrollment
Program for Offender Population

Author: Jennifer Katzman, Medicaid Program Manager

Numerous studies show that access to mental health, substance use and
other health care services helps former offenders better integrate back into
their communities, lessening the likelihood of these individuals committing future
crimes. Now, because of Medicaid expansion, the Louisiana Department of Health
and the Department of Corrections are helping incarcerated individuals enroll
into Medicaid, with coverage beginning once the individual’s sentence is
complete and they transition out of prison.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but actually, this was my experience as part of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a civic leadership program between the Clinton Presidential Center, George W. Bush Presidential Center, the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation, and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation.

In 2017, I was selected to participate in the program and it was a tremendous opportunity to witness young leaders from very different backgrounds, to come together and find common ground. My class consists of a diverse group of 60 emerging leaders, including a judge, a poet, a Green Beret, a hedge fund manager, a baker and a surgeon.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Well-Ahead
Louisiana, an initiative of the Louisiana Department of Health
recently helped East Baton Rouge Parish students Kick Butts.

Kick
Butts Day
is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against
tobacco use. Schools across America participate in interactive activities and events
that empower youth to stand up, speak out and seize control
against Big Tobacco – and commit to stay tobacco-free.

When
I began my career, as a direct support professional in the field of disability services
more than 20 years ago, one of the biggest challenges facing families and individuals
with disabilities who were seeking services was the Request for Services
Registry. Most people called this the waiting
list for the NOW waiver (New Opportunities Waiver). Today, in my role as the Assistant
Secretary for the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, the waiting list, which is approaching 15,000 people, is still
an issue.

I recognize that change is needed and I'm pleased to share news about the progress we've made.

Over the last several years, the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities has been working in collaboration
with recipients, families, advocates and stakeholders to improve our service
delivery system through a system transformation initiative. Our staff has been
aggressively pursuing a variety of best practices that will allow us to serve
more people in home and community-based settings. Critical to this is
addressing the waiting list through our Request for Services Registry Screening
Project. Through this project, we'll be able to better understand the needs of those waiting and ensure they are directed to other helpful resources and services.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

As the Louisiana Department of Health undertook Medicaid
expansion in 2016, we focused on making the process as efficient and
transparent as possible. To demonstrate the outcomes and success of expansion,
Dr. Rebekah Gee, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, challenged the
agency to build an online dashboard to present real-time data in an easy to
understand format. Taking up Dr. Gee’s charge, a team was formed that leveraged
the expertise of Medicaid leaders, data analysts, developers, and
communications staff.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Medicaid expansion is covering hundreds of thousands more working adults and ensuring they have access to primary care. In addition, Medicaid Expansion is bringing in more federal tax dollars to our state and saving Louisiana taxpayers $184 million.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

The Louisiana Department of Health joined elected officials, community leaders, and representatives from Our Lady of the Lake on January 31, 2017 for the North Baton Rouge ER Groundbreaking.

The Our Lady of the Lake North Emergency Room is expected to open in October of 2017. The facility will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by emergency physicians who specialize in providing comprehensive emergency care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries.

Louisiana is ranked first in opioid prescribing of all 50 states. The Louisiana Department of Health continues to work with partners throughout the state to address the opioid epidemic and develop potential solutions.

The State of Louisiana recently issued a “standing order” for naloxone. Naloxone is an antidote medication that reverses an opioid overdose. Used by medical professionals for years, naloxone is the most effective way to counteract an overdose and save lives.

Access to safe, clean drinking water is one of the hallmarks
of modern society. Here at the Louisiana Department of Health, we have a whole
team dedicated to making sure that drinking water systems in the state are
doing their jobs in providing clean water to their customers. One program in
particular assists water systems in their quest to improve water quality: the
Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.